5 tips to stop avoiding intimidating or unknown tasks
Initially posted via LinkedIn (here)
Full disclosure - I can be a huge procrastinator. This is especially true in times when I have no idea where to start and no idea what the hell I’m doing. Feeling intimidated by an unknown task is a sure-fire way for that task to end up floating to the bottom of my to-do list.
Case and point – in my current role, I’m tasked with maintaining our organization’s 401k plan. This is something I’ve never done before, and frankly it scared the hell out of me. I mean, I’m managing the retirement funds for my colleagues who one day, hope to retire.
MY STORY:
I won’t completely implicate myself here by going into all of the gory details, but I will give you a brief overview.
Once a year, we have to file form 5500 (report Annual Return/Report of Employee Benefit Plan). Back in 2018, I made a semi-huge mistake that took a lot of administrative time and effort to correct. While it could’ve been a lot worse, it also could’ve been avoided if I had just asked questions and reviewed the file sooner.
MY LESSON:
Don’t put off something just because you don’t know how to do it.
MY APPROACH:
Now, as soon as I receive the email saying it’s time to review our annual report, I set a date on my calendar to review it. If I have a question, I immediately spring into action to solve it.
Obviously, I didn’t start there. Here’s a list of the things that I learned along the way that helped shaped my approach.
1. Eat the frogs
A former colleague used this phrase to illustrate the need to work on the thing you dread most first, instead of last. It forces you to face the challenge head on instead of letting it fall further and further behind. Eating frogs is not a new phenomenon; it has actually been around for a while and is further described here.
Apparently, there is also a book about it that discusses other ways to stop procrastinating. I personally have NOT read it, but it sounds interesting. I might just have to add it to my list. I am considering getting an Audible subscription so that I can keep up with all of the wonderful material that I’m missing out on. I guess it’s the job of a procrastinator to procrastinate, right?
2. Search the internet
Why reinvent the wheel? The internet is your best friend in times like these. There has to be a good reference, a guide, a blog post, or something that can help you get started. My personal favorite are video guides which often provide verbal, visual, and physical style learning cues. When I’m in unknown territory, I like to be fully covered.
Navigating these tasks can feel extremely daunting when you’re staring at a blank page. A template from the internet is just the thing to help with that. When starting with a template, you feel more in control and less helpless. It’s definitely a winner in my book.
3. Use historical references
My personal approach to our 401k plan is to compare the confusing 40+ page report to the same report from prior years. This has been a huge help for me. I pull up both PDFs side-by-side and go page-by-page to determine what has changed. This allows me to recognize when something is off. In most cases, I don’t know WHAT it means when it’s off, but that’s when I mosey on down to #4.
4. Ask for help
For me, this means calling customer service. I realized that they’re super helpful and can answer any questions that that a newbie, like myself, may have. Turns out, they even offered training (who knew?). My biggest mistake of the past was avoidance, but my second biggest mistake was not realizing all the tools that were at my disposal. I had a wealth of information available to me and had no idea.
This could also mean asking someone who has done your job before, or someone who does the same job in another company. I often ask my CPA buddies to chime in on new task. I have one friend who used to work in auditing (that’s how we met). Therefore, when it’s audit time and I have a question and need an auditor’s opinion, then I call her up and ask. She recently moved into the non-profit world. So when she has a question, she’ll ask me. Networking is always a great idea, but it can be especially helpful when tackling new tasks.
5. Break it up
Wars are fought through a series of battles. Consider the task you’re avoiding the war, not the battle. While it may be possible to begin and end the task in one sitting, it also may not be possible, and that’s okay. Write out the steps and develop a tangible plan of attack (the battles). Remember, “slow and steady wins the race” and “you can’t win if you don’t try.” These clichés illustrate one simple fact – avoidance is never the answer.
Don’t be like me. Don’t avoid a task simply because you find it intimidating. It’s better to face the challenge head-on and early. If it’s a new task, then there may be unknown delays in the process.
For example, when you’re working on something that involves other people, an emergency for you (last minute) does NOT constitute an emergency for someone else.
With proper planning, you will tackle these pesky old tasks with strength, courage, and domination. Eating those frogs, searching the internet, looking at history, asking for help and breaking up the tasks are dependable ways to ensure that you beat the system, and in-turn welcome these approachable tasks with open arms.
